Transfer Verification Products and Methods

ABSTRACT

A documentation product and methods for using the product to check a shipment and take responsibility for a shipment are disclosed. The documentation product includes a transfer document that corresponds to a shipment. The transfer document includes identification of a carrier, identification of a destination, and identification of an image. The identified image depicts the shipment. The identified image can be compared with a received shipment such that discrepancies can be determined. The transfer document can also be acknowledged as corresponding to the shipment depicted at least in part by the image.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation-in-part patent application of,and claims priority to, commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/400,180, filed Mar. 26, 2003, entitled, “Transfer VerificationProducts and Methods,” by Larry Aptekar, which itself claims benefit ofU.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/443,724, filed Jan.30, 2003, both of which are incorporated herein by reference for allpurposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to documents used in shipping andrelated transactions, and more particularly to photographicdocumentation and verification wherein photographs or images of goods orproperty that are the subject of the transaction are associated withphysical documents used in the shipping or related transaction forpurposes of identification, authentication, verification or confirmationof the transaction or condition of the goods.

BACKGROUND

Many paper documents and forms known as “documents of title” or transferdocuments are used in commercial transactions such as: bills of lading,airbills (or airwaybills), warehouse receipts, as well as other paperdocuments and forms such as: delivery orders, delivery receipts,shipping or tracking labels, and confirmation of shipping forms.

A “bill of lading” is a document of title issued by a consignor orshipper of goods or personal property that evidences the receipt ofgoods or personal property for shipment by a commercial carrier. Theconsignor is the person named in the bill as the person from whom thegoods have been received for shipment. The bill of lading provideswritten instructions to the commercial carrier including those relatedto the shipment of the personal property to the consignee (the personnamed in a bill to whom or to whose order the bill promises delivery).Furthermore it describes, in written words, the personal property orgoods that are being shipped and often how it is packed. Before makingdelivery of the shipment to the consignee, the commercial carriertypically generates a “delivery receipt” which provides evidence of thedelivery and which describes the personal property or goods beingdelivered, in written words that usually copy those used in the bill oflading. Typically, a “tracking label”, bearing an assigned trackingnumber and barcode that identifies the shipment is applied to the billof lading and/or the shipment itself. A “warehouse receipt” is adocument of title that is used to acknowledge possession of the personalproperty or goods being stored in a warehouse and, like the otherdocuments, it describes, in written words, the personal property orgoods that are being stored.

One problem with conventional paper “documents of title” and otherdocuments and forms used in commercial shipping transactions is thatthey only provide a written description of the goods or personalproperty making up the shipment and how it is packed. These types ofpaper documents and forms can be subject to fraud or accidental mistakesin identifying the goods or property involved in the transaction.Furthermore, after an event of tampering or pilferage has occurred, itis possible for the written description to remain unchanged and stilladequately describe the appearance of the shipment in its tampered withor pilfered condition.

Thus, based on the written description alone, it is possible that aconsignee will not recognize if the shipment has been pilfered ortampered with, or identify where this pilferage and/or tampering tookplace (e.g., before or after the commercial carrier took possession ofthe shipment). Pilferage is an ongoing problem in the shipping industry,particularly with high-value, small-sized commodities. Another problemis that with recently heightened security concerns, shipments that havebeen tampered with can pose a security threat or health hazard, and itis important for law enforcement to identify where the tamperingoccurred in order to prevent future tampering.

In instances where goods or property is shipped in cargo containers, anumbered security seal can be placed on the outside of that shippingcontainer. Where such a seal is used, the container number and sealnumber can be noted on the bill of lading or other shipping document.However, criminal elements and others who would want to tamper with thecontents of the container could break the seal and repair it or replaceit with another one with the same number, or, they could replace anentire shipping container that used the same container number markings.

It is also possible for criminals to keep the original seal fully intactby cutting the rings (attached to the container and into which the sealis placed) in such a way as to allow the criminal to open the containerand to then repair or replace these rings in such a way as to concealthe tampering by keeping the seal intact.

SUMMARY

Implementations of the present invention overcome the stated problems byidentifying in the transfer documents image information corresponding tothe shipment. No one of the above-discussed problems is critical anddifferent implementations of the inventions may solve differentproblems.

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a documentationproduct. The documentation product includes a transfer document thatcorresponds to a shipment. The transfer document includes identificationof a carrier, identification of a destination, and identification of animage. The identified image depicts the shipment. Uses of thedocumentation product include, but are not limited to, identifying to acarrier the shipment to be received, establishing the acknowledged goodsor property to be shipped, identifying prior condition of the shipmentat a security check, and identifying to a recipient the shipment to bereceived.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method ofchecking a shipment. The method includes receiving a transfer documentthat has identification of an image depicting the shipment. The shipmentis viewed. The image is viewed. The shipment is compared to the imagesuch that discrepancies can be determined. The method can be used formany purposes including, but not limited to, determining whether asecurity risk is present, determining whether damage has occurred, anddetermining whether pilferage has occurred.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method of takingresponsibility for a shipment. The method includes receiving a shipment.A transfer document that includes identification of an image depictingthe shipment is also received. The transfer document is thenacknowledged. The method can be used for many purposes including, butnot limited to, defining the liability risk to which a shipper issubject, deterring unauthorized access to shipped goods or property, andsupplementing a textual description of goods or property.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a bill of lading in accordance with an implementation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof an ocean bill of lading in accordance with an implementation of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a tracking label in accordance with an implementation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a photograph receipt chart that can be used in conjunction withconventional shipping documents that are prepared in accordance with animplementation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a delivery receipt in accordance with an implementation of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a delivery order in accordance with an implementation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a warehouse receipt in accordance with an implementation of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof an airway bill in accordance with an implementation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a shipping label in accordance with an implementation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a confirmation of shipping form in accordance with an implementationof the present invention.

FIG. 9A is an elevation view of the front side of a preferred embodimentof a supplemental photographic shipping receipt form in accordance withan implementation of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing schematically an example of how a bill oflading and other documents in accordance with an implementation of thepresent invention are used in a domestic shipping operation.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing schematically an example of how an oceanbill of lading and other documents in accordance with an implementationof the present invention are used in an international ocean freightshipping operation.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing schematically an example of how an airbill is used in accordance with an implementation of the presentinvention in an international airfreight shipping operation where thecarrier provides door-to-door service.

FIG. 13 illustrates an outside view of a container 1300. A container isa receptacle for the storage or transportation of goods, and includesfreight pallets, boxes, ship-borne containers as well as automobiles,truck trailers and railroad cars. A container may also include acombination of the above, for example a number of boxes on a pallet canbe a container. The container 1300 can include goods enclosed within andaccessible through a door 1330. A shipment can be a container, but ashipment can also comprise one or more goods that are not in or on areceptacle. For example, in some situations, large pieces of machineryare shipped without a container. The container 1300 includes a side 1310that has a symbol 1320. In the embodiment shown, the symbol 1320 is aletter of the alphabet. In other embodiments, the symbol 1320 can be anumber or a particular color, among other possibilities. Another side1330 contains the door or access to the inside of the container 1300. Asymbol 1340 is present on side 1330. In other embodiments, the top sideof the container can also have a symbol. The access can be opened byhandles 1350. In one embodiment, a seal is mounted through handles 1350.In another embodiment, handles 1350 are replaced with a sliding lockmechanism. A seal can also be used with a sliding lock mechanism.

FIG. 14 illustrates a system 1400 for imaging a shipment. The system1400 includes a platform 1410 for supporting the shipment. The shipmentshown is a container 1420. In another embodiment, no platform 1410 isused. A first camera 1430 and a second camera 1440 are mounted to faceopposite sides of the container 1420. In another embodiment, additionalcameras are mounted to face additional sides of the container 1420. Inan alternative embodiment, one camera 1430 is mounted to move around thecontainer 1420 and receive images from different sides of the container1420. In another alternative embodiment, one camera 1430 is mounted totake images of different sides of the container 1420 as the container1420 moves relative to the camera 1430. The shipment can include symbolsas disclosed in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 illustrates a system for analyzing shipments 1500. The system1500, includes a camera array 1530 and a container platform 1520 bothlocated at a shipping location 1510. A computer 1550 is coupled to thecamera array 1530 and receives multiple images of a shipment. Theshipment has multiple sides. In one embodiment, images of a shipment aresent to the computer with different images showing different sides ofthe shipment. The computer 1550 and store the images in local storage1540. The computer 1550 can also transmit the images through a network1560 to a server 1570. Once the shipment reaches a destination 1590, alocal computer 1580 can access the images from the server 1570 throughthe network 1560. In an alternate implementation, the images are sentfrom the computer 1550 to the local computer 1580 through the network1560. In another alternate embodiment, the images or an identificationof the images, for example a URL corresponding to the location of theimages on the Internet, are loaded onto an electronic memory that iscoupled to the shipment 1500, which can be a container. One form ofcoupled is to attach the electronic memory to the outside of theshipment. Another form of coupling is to include the electronic memoryinside the shipment.

At the destination receiving the shipment, the images are receivedidentifying a first symbol with a first side of the shipment and asecond symbol with a second side of the shipment. An individual or anautomated system can then view those symbols on the sides of thereceived shipment. In the case of a customs or security inspection, thereceipt of the images, or other communication identifying the symbolswith the sides of the shipment, may occur in association with a requestto permit movement of the shipment. The symbols can then be viewed bythe appropriate official or automated process.

FIG. 16 illustrates a container imaging product 1600. In the particularembodiment shown, four images 1610, 1620, 1630, 1640 of the containerare included. Each image shows a view of a different side of thecontainer. Each image includes a different symbol 1650 as discussed inFIG. 13. One image 1620 shows a view that includes the container accessand can include a seal mounted on the container access. Another image1640 shows a side of the container opposite the access side shown in1620. In one embodiment, the images are stored in electronic form andare coupled to the container. For example, a seal mounted on the accesssurface of the container can include flash memory storing the images.The product is a communication of symbols associated with particularsides of the shipment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Bills of Lading

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shownin FIG. 1, an example of a bill of lading 10 in accordance with animplementation of the present invention. The bill of lading 10 is aprinted paper document of title issued by a consignor that evidences thereceipt of goods or personal property for shipment by a commercialcarrier. The bill of lading 10 is a printed form having the followingsections, which are filled in by handwritten or typed words and numerals(or is computer generated): the name and address of the carrier 11, theconsignee 12, the shipper 13, and the billing address 14. The form hassections for: the date shipped 15, the shippers account number 16, thepurchase order number 17, the manner of payment 18, and any specialinstructions 19; and sections for the shippers signature and date 20,the carrier's signature and date 21, and a section for placement of aPRO label 22.

The bill of lading form 10 also has a section that is also filled in byhandwritten or typed words and numerals (or is computer generated) thatidentifies the goods or personal property that is being shipped, usuallywith headings for: the number of pieces 23, whether its is hazardousmaterial 24, the kind of package, description of articles, special marksand exceptions 25, the class 26, the weight 27, and the rate 28. Thebill of lading can also include a pre-printed certification sentencethat reads: “THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE-NAMED MATERIALS AREPROPERLY CLASSIFIED, DESCRIBED, PACKAGED, MARKED AND LABELED, AND ARE INPROPER CONDITION FOR TRANSPORTATION ACCORDING TO THE APPLICABLEREGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.”

In addition to the sections described above, the bill of lading form 10of an implementation of the present invention also has a section thatincludes one or more photographic images 29 of the shipment, as itappears when prepared for shipment. For example, shipment can consist of10 cardboard boxes on a wooden pallet, which has been shrink-wrapped andstrapped, and other visible markings can be applied to the exterior ofthe shrink wrap. The photographic images 29 can comprise one or morephotograph images that show the top, bottom, and all four sides of theshipment. These same photographic images would be placed on at least onenegotiable copy and at least one nonnegotiable copy of the bill oflading.

In a preferred embodiment, the photographic images are taken with adigital color camera and downloaded to a computer. Alternatively, thephotographic images are taken with a film color camera, developed, andscanned into a computer If the document is a preprinted form, the imagescan be printed onto the form, onto a label, or supplemental pages, thatis/are then affixed or attached to the form. If the document isavailable as a template on a word processing program, the images can beelectronically cut and pasted into the appropriate section of thedocument via the word processor, and then the whole document, withadditional pages as needed, is printed. It should be understood that, inthe case of bills of lading, that one negotiable and at least onenonnegotiable bill of lading can be produced (at least 2 pages intotal). The other sections of the document and particulars of theshipment can be filled in by hand on both documents using carbon paper,carbonless copy paper, or by entering the information via the wordprocessing program.

The photographic images 29 are placed on the bill of lading 10 by theconsignor or shipper of the goods or personal property. When thecommercial carrier arrives to pick up the shipment, he compares thephotographic images on the bill of lading to the actual shipment. Whenhe is satisfied he places a tracking label onto both the negotiable andnonnegotiable bills of lading and to the shipment itself. The commercialcarrier makes sure that the consignor has signed the negotiable bill oflading and he signs the nonnegotiable bill of lading which he gives tothe consignor before leaving with the shipment. The consignor or thecommercial carrier can then e-mail, post on a web site, or otherwisedeliver a scanned version or photocopy of the bill of lading 10 to theconsignee or intended recipient, so that when the actual shipmentarrives, they can visually inspect the shipment as it appears on arrivaland compare it to the photographic images on the copy of the bill oflading before the signing the delivery receipt and accepting theshipment. For security purposes, the consignor or the commercial carriercan e-mail or otherwise deliver a scanned version or photocopy of thebill of lading to other interested security-minded parties.

Thus, the present bill of lading provides the shipper with further proofof what he shipped, and the condition of the shipment when it wasshipped, and allows the recipient to detect discrepancies between whatwas shipped and what was received, and changes in the condition of theshipment or damage that may have occurred during transit, and therebyascertain whether or not the shipment was pilfered or tampered with, andwhether such pilferage and/or tampering took place before or after thecommercial carrier took possession of the shipment, and would indicatewhether or not the commercial carrier should be held responsible for thepilferage and/or tampering. Depending upon the class of goods and goodsthat pose a potential security or health hazard, other interestedsecurity-minded parties may be notified that the shipment may have beentampered and that a potential security threat or health hazard mayexist.

Because “a picture is worth a thousand words”, it should be understood,that depending upon the detail and content of the photographic images,that the written description may be either be eliminated or shortened toinclude only a reference to the type of commodity being shipped.

Ocean Bill of Lading

In international trade where goods, products or property are shipped viaocean an international carrier issues an ocean bill of lading. This is acontract between the international carrier and the shipper (exporter)that requires transport of goods, products or property to a specificforeign country or port. In cases other than when the shipping companyissues an “express” ocean bill of lading, the importer (or his agent)presents the shipping line with at least one original copy of the oceanbill of lading in order for the importer to arrange the pick-up of theshipment.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an ocean bill of lading 30 in accordance withan implementation of the present invention. The ocean bill of lading 30is a printed paper form having the following sections, which are filledin by handwritten or typed words and numerals (or computer generated):the name and address of the carrier 31, the consignee 32, the shipper33, and the name and address of the delivery agent 34, and party to benotified 35. The form has sections for: the place ofreceipt/pre-carriage 36, the place of receipt 37, the vessel 38, port ofloading 39, port of discharge 40, place of delivery 41, and the locationat which freight charges are payable 42; and sections for insuranceinformation 43, for information related to freight and charges 44, and areceipt section 45 to be signed by the delivery agent.

The ocean bill of lading form 30 also has a section that is also filledin by handwritten or typed words and numerals (or computer generated)that identifies the goods or personal property that is being shipped,usually with headings for: special marks and numbers 46, number ofpackages 47, the kind of package, description of articles, the class 48,the weight 49, and the measurements 50.

In addition to the sections described above, the ocean bill of ladingform 30 of an implementation of the present invention also has a sectionthat includes one or more photographic images 51 of the shipment, as itappears when prepared for shipment. For example, shipment may consist of100 cartons of goods that are contained in a shipping container, andother visible markings may be applied to the exterior of the container.The photographic images 51 may comprise one or more photograph imagesthat show the top, bottom, and all four sides of the shipment orcontainer. These same photographic images would be placed on at leastone negotiable copy and at least one nonnegotiable copy of the oceanbill of lading 30.

After obtaining an endorsement of the international carrier, the shipperwould send at least one original copy of the ocean bill of lading to theimporter who would present it to the shipping line to pick up theshipment. Again, by knowing what the shipment looked like, the importeror his agent could more easily detect pilferage and/or tampering. Ascanned version of the ocean bill of lading may also be e-mailed, postedon a web site, or otherwise delivered to port authority officials, acustoms agent, or other interested security-minded parties, so that whenthe actual shipment arrives, they can visually inspect the shipment asit appears on arrival and compare it to the photographic images on thecopy of the bill of lading to detect whether tampering or pilferage mayhave occurred or if the shipment may pose a potential security or healthhazard.

With regard to bills of lading (ocean or otherwise), in instances wheregoods or property is shipped in a cargo container, a numbered securityseal can be put on the outside of that shipping container. The containernumber and seal number can be noted on the bill of lading. However,criminal elements and others who would want to tamper with the contentsof the container could break the seal and replace it with another onewith the same number, or, they could replace an entire shippingcontainer that used the same container number markings. The photographicimages of the shipping container included on the bill of lading can makethese “counterfeit” shipping containers easier to detect. Anotheradvantage of some implementations of utilizing the present photographicimages of a cargo container is that close-up photographic images can bemade to show precisely what type of seal was used to close it up and thecondition of the ring or rings that were attached to the container intowhich the seal was inserted. This can make it more difficult for acriminal to replace the seal with a counterfeit one, to repair a brokenseal and/or to repair the ring or rings into which the seal is inserted.

In one implementation, when shipping a full trailer load of goods, orwhen the goods are shipped in a cargo container, the photographic imageson the domestic or ocean bill of lading not only include photos of thetrailer tailgate or cargo container, but also include at least one photoof the condition of the inside of the trailer or cargo container justbefore it is closed and sealed. This would allow the consignee (or lawenforcement) to see what the shipment should look like when they firstopen the doors of the container or trailer, and to notify theappropriate parties if tampering and/or pilferage appears to have takenplace.

Tracking Label

As described above, when a commercial carrier arrives to pick up ashipment, he places a tracking label onto both the negotiable andnonnegotiable bills of lading. FIG. 3 shows an example of a trackinglabel 60 in accordance with an implementation of the present invention.The tracking label 60 has a tracking number 61 (with or without abarcode), and also includes one or more photographic images 62 of theshipment, which is then applied to the bill of lading copies and/or theshipment itself. Typically, the shipper would take one or morephotographs of the goods or personal property that is being shipped(after it is packed) and would then print the labels that bear thephotographic images of the shipment. These labels are then applied tothe bill of lading copies and/or to the shipment itself.

Photograph Receipt Chart Form

FIG. 3A shows a photograph receipt chart form 63 that can be used inconjunction with conventional shipping documents or with single ormultiple handling unit shipments that utilize the photographicdocumentation system. This form is a chart having a plurality of rowsand columns, wherein the rows identify the object (carton) numbers andthe columns identify the different views of the respective carton by itsview number (side number). The corresponding photographic images 62 ofthose views are disposed in the appropriate cell. The object(s)themselves can also be marked with identifying information such as boxnumber and side number. This chart can be accompanied by standards andinstructions that would tell the user of the invention where to placethe different photographs taken. Extra pages containing this chart maybe combined depending upon the number of handled units. The chart can beused alone or included in a bill of lading and/or other morecomprehensive shipping documents.

Delivery Receipt

FIG. 4 shows an example of a delivery receipt 64 in accordance with animplementation of the present invention. The delivery receipt 64 is apaper document, usually generated by the commercial carrier or his agentprior to the carrier or agent making delivery of the shipment to theconsignee or intended recipient, which provides evidence of thedelivery. The delivery receipt 64 is a printed form having sections,which are filled in by handwritten or typed words and numerals (orcomputer generated) for: the name and address of the carrier 65, theconsignee 66, the shipper 67, the shipper's account number 68, a PROlabel number 69 and/or or tracking number 70, the date shipped 71, andany special delivery instructions 72. The delivery receipt 64 also has asection that is filled in by handwritten or typed words and numerals,that are typically copied from the bill of lading, that identifies thegoods or personal property that is being shipped, usually with headingsfor: the number of pieces 73, whether its is hazardous material 74, thekind of package, description of articles, special marks and exceptions75, the weight 76, the rate 77, and the charges 78.

At the bottom of the delivery receipt, there is a section for: thenumber of pieces delivered 79, date of delivery 80, time of delivery 81,delivery driver's signature 82, recipient’ signature and name 83; andsection with a certification sentence that reads: “RECEIVED ABOVEPROPERTY IN GOOD CONDITION”, which may be signed by the recipient; andmay also include a statement that reads: “STRETCHWRAP INTACT”, with“YES” and “NO” check boxes which the recipient may check when acceptingthe shipment.

In addition to the sections described above, the delivery receipt form64 of an implementation of the present invention can also have a sectionthat includes one or more photographic images 84 of the shipment, as itappears when prepared for shipment. The photographic images may compriseone or more photograph images that show the top, bottom, and all foursides of the shipment. These photographic images 84 may be the same asthose (29) used on the bill of lading 10.

Alternatively, rather than having photographic images 84 on the frontside of the delivery receipt form, the photographic images may be placedon the back side, or a scanned version or photocopy of the bill oflading 10 bearing the photographic images, as described above may beplaced on the back side of the delivery receipt. In these embodiments,the front side of the delivery receipt would contain only the sectionswith the written or typed descriptions.

The present delivery receipt provides the commercial carrier or shipperwith proof of what the shipment was, and the condition of the shipmentwhen it was picked up, and allows the recipient to detect discrepanciesbetween what was shipped and what was received, and changes in thecondition of the shipment or damage that may have occurred duringtransit, and thereby ascertain whether or not the shipment was pilferedor tampered with, and whether or not this pilferage and/or tamperingtook place before or after the commercial carrier took possession of theshipment. Depending upon the class of goods and goods that pose apotential security or health hazard, other interested security-mindedparties may be notified that the shipment may have been tampered andthat a potential security threat or health hazard may exist.

It should be understood that, in some instances, the delivery receiptand bill of lading may be combined in one document. For example, whenhousehold or business property is being moved by a moving company, orwhen a company or business organization is transporting their own goodsto another location.

Delivery Order

FIG. 5 shows an example of a delivery order 85 in accordance with animplementation of the present invention. The delivery order 85 is apaper document form, containing written instructions, given by an entity(e.g., an importer, freight forwarder, or trucking company) to atrucking company to move freight from a particular point (e.g., awarehouse or a port) to another point (e.g., the consignee).

The delivery order 85 has sections, which are filled in by handwrittenor typed words and numerals (or computer generated) for: the name andaddress of the carrier 86, the shipper 87, the shipper's account number88, a bill of lading or airway bill number 89, the location of theshipment 90 and the origin/destination port 91, the arrival/departuredate 92, the in-transit number 93, the house bill of lading number 94,the sub-house bill of lading number 95, the entry number 96, and acustomer reference number 97, to whom the delivery is for 98, and theroute 99. The delivery order 85 also has a section that is also filledin by handwritten or typed words and numerals (or computer generated),that are typically copied from the bill of lading, that identifies thegoods or personal property that is being shipped, usually with headingsfor: the number of pieces 100, the kind of package, description ofarticles and special marks and exceptions 101, the weight 102, and asection regarding charges 103 (prepaid/collect). There is also a sectionfor: the delivery driver's signature 104, and a receipt section for therecipient’ signature, date and time 105.

In addition to the sections described above, the delivery order form 85of an implementation of the present invention has a section thatincludes one or more photographic images 106 of the shipment, as itappears when prepared for shipment. The photographic images 106 maycomprise one or more photograph images that show the top, bottom, andall four sides of the shipment. These photographic images 106 may be thesame as those (29) used on the bill of lading 10.

Alternatively, rather than having photographic images on the front sideof the delivery order form, the photographic images may be placed on theback side, or a scanned version or photocopy of the bill of lading 10bearing the photographic images, as described above may be placed on theback side of the delivery receipt. In these embodiments, the front sideof the delivery receipt would contain only the sections with the writtenor typed descriptions.

As described above, in domestic trucking a bill of lading covers thehanding over of the physical possession of the shipment from the shipperto the trucking company (where both sign on that document). Later thetrucking company can issue a “delivery order and/or delivery receipt”internally for one of their own driver's to move freight from their ownwarehouse to the consignee and the consignee will also have to sign onthe delivery order which functions as the receipt. The original bill oflading is not necessarily the document that the trucking company arriveswith when it makes the ending delivery to the consignee; instead, theycan arrive with the delivery order/receipt, which can be signed by theconsignee upon final delivery.

In international shipping an importer or his agent can issue a deliveryorder to a trucking company to pick up a shipment at the port (or somenearby warehouse) to make delivery to the consignee. In those instances,the delivery order would have a receipt section for the consignee toacknowledge receipt of the freight.

In both cases above, the inclusion of one or more photographic images ofwhat the shipment looked like when it first was picked up at theshipper's location would help the driver and the ultimate consignee knowwhether tampering or pilferage has occurred. The photographic images onthe delivery order allow both the driver who picks up the freight andthe consignee to see what the shipment should look like. Thephotographic images on the delivery order, in the case of an importcoming into the port would presumably come from the original bill oflading and/or from the original exporter. In the case of a domesticshipment the photographic images would presumably come from the originalbill of lading, the shipper, the trucking company and/or a web sitewhere it has been posted by the shipper or trucking company.

Warehouse Receipt

FIG. 6 shows an example of a warehouse receipt 107 in accordance with animplementation of the present invention. The warehouse receipt 107 is apaper document form, containing written instructions, given by an entity(e.g., an importer, freight forwarder) that is used to acknowledgepossession of the personal property or goods being stored in a warehouseand, like the other documents, it describes, in written words, the goodsor personal property that are being stored.

The warehouse receipt 107 has sections, which are filled in byhandwritten or typed words and numerals (or computer generated) for: thename and address of the owner of the goods 108, the name and address ofthe warehouse 109, and the warehouse receipt number 110. The warehousereceipt 107 also has a section that is also filled in by handwritten ortyped words and numerals (or computer generated), that identifies thegoods or personal property that is being stored, usually with headingsfor: the number and kind of packages 111, description of articles,special marks and numbers 112, the weight 113, and the measurements 114.At the bottom of the warehouse receipt, there is a certificationsentence that reads: “RECEIVED FOR STORAGE AT THE RATE OF $XX PER DAY,and section to be signed by the warehouse representative 115, and theplace and date of issued of delivery 116.

In addition to the sections described above, the warehouse receipt form107 of an implementation of the present invention also has a sectionthat includes one or more photographic images 117 of the shipment, as itappears at the time of arrival at the warehouse. In typical use, when anowner of the goods or personal property brings the property to awarehouse for storage, the warehouse personnel would photograph theproperty and would incorporate, directly or indirectly, thesephotographic images in the warehouse receipt. At the time of the pick-upof the goods or property its condition would be compared to thephotographic images as it appeared at the time of arrival at thewarehouse.

Air Bills

FIG. 7 shows an airway bill 118 in accordance with an implementation ofthe present invention. Most commercial air courier services such as: theExpress Mail service of the United States Postal Service, FederalExpress, United Parcel Service, DHL, Airborne, and many others utilize amulti-part form, similar to the bill of lading, known as an “air bill”or “airway bill”. The airway bill 118 of an implementation of thepresent invention is a printed paper form having the following sections,which are filled in by handwritten or typed words and numerals (orcomputer generated): the name and address of the carrier 119, the airwaybill number 120, the shipper 121, the consignee 122, the date 123, theparty to be notified 124, and the location at which freight charge arepayable 125. The form also has a section for insurance information 126,and a receipt section 127 to be signed by the carrier.

The airway bill form 118 also has a section that is also filled in byhandwritten or typed words and numerals (or computer generated) thatidentifies the goods or personal property that is being shipped, usuallywith headings for: special marks and numbers 128, number of packages129, the kind of package, description of articles 130, the weight 131,and the measurements 132.

In addition to the sections described above, the airway bill form 118 ofan implementation of the present invention has a section that includesone or more photographic images 133 of the shipment, as it appears whenprepared for shipment. In the case of air bills or airway bills, anoriginal copy of the airway bill form is sent to the consignee with theshipment.

Shipping Label

FIG. 8 shows an example of a shipping label 134 in accordance with animplementation of the present invention, which is similar to thetracking label 60 described above (FIG. 3). The shipping label 134 wouldbe attached directly to the freight being shipped, and in addition tothe photographic images 62, has the name and address of the party towhom the delivery is to be made 135, and, depending upon theapplication, may or may not include the tracking number and/or barcode.A similar labeling system may also be used for product identification inlarge companies, hospitals, and other settings wherein large pieces ofequipment may be identified with a number and a hard to remove labels.

Confirmation of Shipment

As discussed above, a scanned version of the bill of lading may bee-mailed, posted on a web site, or otherwise delivered from theconsignee to the shipper and/or to port authority officials, a customsagent, or other interested security-minded parties. FIG. 9 shows anexample of a confirmation of shipping notice 136 that may be sent tosaid parties. The notice is in the form of a letter which indicates, inwriting: the date of shipment 137, to whom it was shipped 138, how itwas shipped 139, and describes the type of package 140, and the bill oflading number 141. In addition, the letter bears one or morephotographic images 142 of the shipment, so that when the actualshipment arrives, or is inspected, the recipient or parties of interestcan visually inspect the shipment as it appears on arrival and compareit to the photographic images 29 on the copy of the bill of lading 10 todetect whether tampering or pilferage may have occurred or if theshipment may pose a potential security or health hazard.

Although in the previous examples the actual physical shipment iscompared to the photographic images of what it should look like, itshould be understood that in some situations, two or more sets ofphotographic images or documents bearing the same may be used. Forexample, when an appropriately trained inspector does not necessarilyhave easy access to the shipment (or the extra time), photographicimages with identifying information of what reached each destination(e.g., a tracking number) taken at a place or places where a freightshipment initially departs, where the shipment changes hands duringtransit, or at the destination, may be sent to the inspector forcomparison. The inspector may then compare two or more sets of thephotographic images and identifying information and notify others of theresults of the comparison.

Supplemental Photographic Receipt System

For various reasons, participants in a shipping transaction may preferto continue to use the traditional documents that they currently use inshipping transactions while still enjoying the benefits of the inventiondescribed herein. This can be accomplished by system whereby theconsignor after packing a shipment prepares a traditional bill of ladingand also a supplemental photographic receipt 144, as shown in FIG. 9A.The photographic receipt 144, is similar to the tracking label describedabove and, at a minimum, includes words or alphanumeric or other data145 to specifically identify a particular shipment (e.g., trackingnumber, bill of lading number, the date with both names of consignee andconsignor, air bill number, etc.), and a section bearing one or morephotographic images 62 of the goods or property that are being shippedclearly showing the condition of the goods or property at the time ofpick up at the point of origin. A receipt section 146 to be signed bythe driver may optionally be included.

In a preferred embodiment, the driver (after comparing the photographsto the actual freight) would sign this supplemental receipt 144 (just ashe signs on the nonnegotiable bill of lading) and would give the receiptto the shipper. The transportation company may also request that thedriver leave the shipper's premises with not only the freight and thenegotiable bill of lading, but also with a copy of the supplementalphotographic receipt 144 that the shipper has signed. The shipper(and/or transportation company) can then send (via email, regular mail,posting to a web site, by attaching physically or electronically to asubsequently used shipping document, or otherwise) to the consignee orother interested party (e.g., law enforcement) the photographs used inthis supplemental photographic receipt so that the consignee (or otherinterested party) can compare the photographic images with the goods orproperty, and the condition thereof, upon arrival at the destination (orat some point in between the origin and destination) for purposes ofidentification, authentication, verification and confirmation of thetransaction and detection of any change in the condition of the goods orproperty.

Similar photographic receipts can be used in conjunction with othertraditional transportation-related documents (and/or traditionaldocuments of title) including but not limited to air bills, ocean billsof lading, delivery receipts, delivery orders, and warehouse receipts.

Non-Consignor Generated Photographic System

In the method of utilizing the examples described above, the consignoris described as taking a few specific actions. However, other thanspecific situations where only a signature of the consignor is required,the term “consignor”, as used herein, should be interpreted broadly toinclude his agents and representatives. For example, a representative ofthe transportation company (e.g., the driver who picks up the freight atthe consignor's premise) may be the person who actually takes thephotographs used in the bill of lading (or in any other shippingdocument or related receipt). Furthermore, one or more representativesof the transportation company may also perform or assist in one or moreother tasks which thus far have been described as being carried out bythe consignor (e.g., numbering the views, printing the photographs,adding the photographs to the bill of lading, printing the bill oflading, filling out the bill of lading, etc.).

Other parties who may also do one or more of these tasks (in addition torepresentatives of the transportation company who actually picks up thefreight at the point of origin) include, but are not limited to,representatives of the freight forwarder, packing company, airline,ocean line, railroad, trucking company, law enforcement, port securitypersonnel, and customs agents, and also professional photographers.

While, under the ideal situation, the initial photographs should betaken at the point of origin, it should be understood that otherparticipants in the movement of the freight transaction (and/or lawenforcement) may be the ones who take additional photographs forsubsequent comparison or may be the ones who take the initial set ofphotographs. For example, a trucking company picks up the freight at theconsignor's premise and only a traditional bill of lading is used(without any supplemental photographic receipt). At the request of theconsignor, the trucking company, once the freight arrives at theterminal nearest the point of origin, may then photograph the freightand send the photographs to the consignor for verification that thephotographs accurately reflect the condition of the freight at the pointof origin. After obtaining that verification the trucking company wouldthen use the photographs in accordance with the methods describedpreviously herein (e.g., include them in the delivery receipt, send thefreight to the consignee, etc.). Even if the consignor did not requestthat photographs be taken, the trucking company may choose to do thisfor purposes of internal control and/or in cases where anothertransportation company will make final delivery to the consignee.

Similarly, law enforcement officials may want to take photographs of acargo container and/or its contents before it is loaded onto a ship atthe port of origin, so that law enforcement at the destination port cancompare the photographs with the actual cargo container and/or itscontents when it arrives. With the frequent use of multinational crewson the ships that transport cargo containers, such a system would givelaw enforcement a valuable tool to combat tampering (and/or pilferage)which may occur onboard a ship.

Sequential Alphanumeric Freight View Identification System

The numbering of individual packages or boxes is very common in theprior art when shipping multiple package or box shipments. For example;individual units of a multiple box shipment are commonly labeled “Box 1of 5”, “Box 2 of 5”, etc.

An implementation of the present invention utilizes a unique freightview identification system whereby the shipper adds alphanumeric data tothe freight being shipped so that a subsequent viewer (e.g., consignee)can quickly compare the photographs of how the shipment looked at itsinitiation with the actual freight itself. Typically, each side of thefreight in the photograph (other than the cargo container) is assigned aunique side number. This enables the shipper to make sure that he hastaken all the right photographs and for subsequent viewers (e.g., theconsignee, inspector, or law enforcement) to quickly and more accuratelyidentify the camera views. The shipper adds machine and/or manuallygenerated identification codes to the freight so that each view (i.e.,,camera angle) has a code included in it. However, it is best that atleast some of each identification code is generated by hand and iswritten out by hand using a pen or other writing instrument, or paintedor spray-painted. This way the identification code is similar to asignature on a check and is difficult to forge. The following areexamples of a unique coding system for each view.

A sequential alphanumeric numbering system for each view (e.g., view 1,view 2, view 3, etc., or, view a, view b, view c, etc.) may be appliedto the entire shipment of freight comprised of one or more “handlingunits”. A “handling unit” may be a single box if it is not attached toany other box, or a unit of 10 boxes if they are physically connectedtogether, or to a pallet.

A sequential alphanumeric numbering system for each handling unit, plusa sequential alphanumeric numbering system for each view (e.g.,Unit1-view 1, Unit1-view 2, Unit1-view 3, etc., or, Unit1-view a,Unit1-view b, Unit1-view c, etc., may alternatively, be applied to thegoods being shipped.

Still other view (or side) numbering systems would include but not belimited to the following sequences:

-   -   a) 1, 22, 333, 4444, 55555, . . .    -   b) A, BB, CCC, DDDD, . . .    -   c) Unit 1-1, Unit 1-22, Unit 1-333, Unit 1-4444, Unit 2-1, Unit        2-22, . . .    -   d) Unit 1-A, Unit I-BB, Unit 1-CCC, Unit 1-DDDD, Unit 2-A, Unit        2-BB, . . .    -   e) Unit A-1, Unit A-22, Unit A-333, Unit A-4444, Unit A-1, Unit        A-22, . . .    -   f) Unit 1-North, Unit 1-East, Unit 1-South, Unit 1-West, Unit        2-North, Unit 2-East, . . .    -   g) Unit A-North, Unit A-East, Unit A-South, Unit A-West, Unit        B-North, Unit B-East, . . .    -   h) Unit I-N, Unit 1-E , Unit 1-S, Unit 1-W, Unit 2-N, Unit 2-E.        . . .    -   i) Unit A-N, Unit A-E, Unit A-S, Unit A-W, Unit B-N, Unit B-E. .        . .    -   j) View 1, 12, 123, 1234, etc. . . .    -   k) 0,1,2,3,4,5, . . .    -   l) 0,−1,−2,−3, etc. . . . and    -   m) Apple, Boy, Cat, Day, etc. . . .

It should be understood that, depending upon the camera angle, each viewcould show one or more sides and the top of a handling unit; thus, someof the sides may not require the coding because the identification ofthe side is implied. It should also be understood that other codingmethods whereby the views of each handling unit is assigned a uniquecode may be used.

OPERATION

Domestic Bill of Lading Examples

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing schematically an example of how a bill oflading and other documents in accordance with an implementation of thepresent invention are used in a domestic shipping operation.

After the packed shipment has been photographed and the various viewsnumbered, the photographic images 29 are placed on the bill of lading10, as described herein, by the consignor or shipper of the goods orpersonal property. When the commercial carrier arrives to pick up theshipment, he compares the photographic images 29 on the bill of lading10 to the actual shipment. When he is satisfied he places a trackinglabel onto both the negotiable and nonnegotiable bills of lading and tothe shipment itself. The commercial carrier makes sure that theconsignor has signed the negotiable bill of lading and he signs thenonnegotiable bill of lading which he gives to the consignor beforeleaving with the shipment. The consignor or the commercial carrier maythen e-mail, post on a web site, or otherwise deliver a scanned versionor photocopy of the bill of lading 10 to the consignee or intendedrecipient, so that when the actual shipment arrives, they can visuallyinspect the shipment as it appears on arrival and compare it to thephotographic images 29 on the copy of the bill of lading before thesigning the delivery receipt 64 and accepting the shipment. For securitypurposes, the consignor or the commercial carrier may e-mail, post to aweb site, or otherwise deliver a scanned version or photocopy of thebill of lading to other interested security-minded parties.

Thus, the present bill of lading 10 provides the shipper with proof ofwhat he shipped, and the condition of the shipment when it was shipped,and allows the recipient to detect discrepancies between what wasshipped and what was received, and changes in the condition of theshipment or damage that may have occurred during transit, and therebyascertain whether or not the shipment may have been pilfered or tamperedwith, and whether or not this pilferage and/or tampering took placebefore or after the commercial carrier took possession of the shipment,and would indicate whether or not the commercial carrier should be heldresponsible for the pilferage and/or tampering. Depending upon the classof goods and goods that pose a potential security or health hazard,other interested security-minded parties may be notified that theshipment may have been tampered with and that a potential securitythreat or health hazard may exist.

International Ocean Freight Examples

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing schematically an example of how an oceanbill of lading and other documents in accordance with an implementationof the present invention are used in an international ocean freightshipping operation.

After packing an order, the shipper calls a freight forwarder and tellsthem that the shipper has a shipment ready to be exported. He gives theshipment details (e.g., consignee name and address, description of thefreight, etc.) to the forwarder.

The freight forwarder makes a reservation with shipping line, and issuesa “house” bill of lading 143 that confirms the routing of the shipment.This house bill of lading 143 does not contain a photograph of thefreight, but is primarily used only to confirm the shipment details. Thefreight forwarder sends the house bill of lading to the shipper forreview. Once confirmed, the forwarder (or shipper) calls a truckingcompany to pick up the freight and deliver it to the pier.

The shipper fills out the domestic bill of lading 10 (for movement offreight to a pier), numbers the handling units and the sides of thehandling units, takes photographs of the freight, adds the photographs29 of the freight to the bill of lading, signs the bill of lading,obtains the truck driver's signature on the bill of lading, and givesthe driver the freight.

The trucking company issues a delivery receipt 64 for the personnel atthe pier to sign. The trucking company also adds to the delivery receiptthe photographs 29 that the shipper took (which were scanned from thebill of lading or which the shipper e-mailed or otherwise sent thetrucking company).

The truck driver takes the freight to the pier. The person who receivesthe freight at the pier compares the condition of the freight to thephotographs 29. If there are any differences they are noted on thedelivery receipt 64. The pier person then signs the delivery receipt.

When the ship is available for loading, the freight is then loaded ontothe ship. Before it is loaded, the personnel who load it compare itscondition to the photographs 29 shown on the delivery receipt 64 (or tothe photographs which the shipper has emailed or otherwise sent them).The shipping line then issues its own ocean bill of lading 30 coveringthe ocean voyage. The shipping line will add the photographs 29 of thefreight to the ocean bill of lading that it issues. The photographs maycome from the scanned version of the delivery receipt, from an email orotherwise from the shipper, or the shipping line (if they are certainthat the condition of the freight is identical to when it left theshipper's warehouse) may take its own set of photographs.

The shipping line's ocean bills of lading 30 are send to the shipper.The shipper inspects the shipping line's ocean bills of lading 30 foraccuracy, compares the photographs 29, and sends them to the consignee.The consignee gives at least one of the shipping line's bills of lading30 to his customs broker. The ship transports the shipment to thedestination port.

At the destination port, the customs broker obtains a customs release,gives one of the original ocean bills of lading 30 (issued by theshipping line) to the local office of the shipping line, which thenreleases the freight.

The customs broker also arranges for a freight release from the terminaloperator, and issues a delivery order 85 to a local trucking company(for movement of the freight from the port to the consignee). The brokeradds photographs 29 of the freight to the delivery order. The brokerobtains the photographs of the freight by either scanning them from theocean bill of lading 30 or from the consignee to whom the shipper sentthe photographs via email or otherwise.

The driver from the trucking company goes to the port and compares theactual freight to the photographs 29 on the delivery order 85. If thereare any problems with the freight, the driver lists them on the receiptthat he signs at the port and, if appropriate, notifies the proper lawenforcement or authorities.

The truck driver then delivers the freight to the consignee, whocompares the condition of the freight to the photographs which theshipper sent him or which were contained in the ocean bill of lading. Ifthere are any problems with the condition of the freight the consigneenotes them on the delivery receipt 64 that he then signs.

International Air Freight Example

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing schematically an example of how an airbill 118 (FIG. 7) is used in accordance with an implementation of thepresent invention in an international air freight shipping operationwhere the carrier provides door-to-door service.

After packing an order, the shipper calls the air freight company topick up the freight. The shipper fills out the air bill 118 (formovement of freight to the consignee), numbers the handling units andthe sides of the handling units, takes photographs of the freight, addsthe photographs 29,113 of the freight to the air bill of lading, signsthe air bill 118, obtains the truck driver's signature on the air bill,and gives driver the freight (along with most of the original copies ofthe air bill).

The person who receives the freight at the air terminal compares thecondition of the freight to the photographs 29,113. If there are anydifferences they are noted and, if appropriate, the proper lawenforcement or authorities are contacted.

When the plane is available for loading, the freight is then loaded ontothe plane. Before it is loaded, the personnel who load it compare itscondition to the photographs 29,113 shown on the air bill 118 (or to thephotographs which the shipper has emailed or otherwise sent them).

The plane transports the shipment to the destination port. At thedestination port, the air freight company (or a specifically identifiedcustoms broker) obtains a customs release, issues a delivery receipt 64,and delivers the freight to the consignee.

The truck driver then delivers the freight to the consignee, whocompares the condition of the freight to the photographs 29,113 whichthe shipper sent him or which were contained in the air bill 118 whichaccompanies the freight. If there are any problems with the condition ofthe freight the consignee notes them on the delivery receipt 64 that hethen signs.

As has been pointed out above, in typical freight transportationtransactions (movements of goods from consignor to consignee), thefreight being shipped changes possession one or more times on the way tothe consignee. Currently various forms, documents, and/or receiptsfacilitate each and every change of possession (e.g., bill of lading,delivery receipt, air bill, etc.). The various embodiments of thepresent invention described herein are at their simplest form designedto potentially be applied to one or more of the possession changes whichtake place in a single freight transportation transaction. Whileapplying them for each and every possession change is the ideal, theinventions have significant value to both the recipient of the freightand the transferor of the freight (the person who gives the freight tothe recipient) when applied to just a single possession change. This isbecause the recipient of the freight has clear evidence of the conditionof the freight when it was handed over to him. That evidence may beuseful if that recipient is subsequently accused of permitting someoneto tamper with the freight while in his possession (particularly if thefreight has already been tampered with).

Similarly, the transferor of the freight is then provided with clearevidence of the condition of the freight when he transfers possession tothe recipient of the freight which would potentially be helpful inprotecting him from liability associated with tampering and/orpilferage. While the conventional paper documents currently used inthese transactions may provide evidence of liability, they are notnearly as good as photographic records of the freight that can bestdocument the specific condition of the freight at the time of apossession change. The limitation of the currently used conventionaldocuments (for each and every change of possession) is that they arelimited to describing the freight only in words, which under the bestcircumstances can hardly ever describe all the details that a photographcan record. This is particularly a problem when the condition of thefreight, after an act of tampering or pilferage, is such that it appearsas if it is still fully described by the description in words and thatno tampering or pilferage has occurred.

In using the present system and embodiments described herein, thephotographs taken in anticipation of the next change of possession maybe inserted in the next traditional document which would be used in thatpossession change, or in a supplemental receipt created for that nextchange of possession. The photographs may be obtained directly orindirectly from the original consignor, from a party who directly orindirectly assisted in any prior possession changes, or new photographsmay be taken with a digital camera (or otherwise). The above-describedtypes of documents are referred to herein as types of transferdocuments.

Another significant advantage of the system and embodiments of thepresent invention, is that law enforcement may benefit from the use ofthe invention even if applied to a single possession change. This isbecause such use would again provide a clear record of the condition ofthe freight at a specific place and time. While not as helpful asdiligent use of the invention at each and every possession change, thiscan be very helpful in spotting tampering or pilferage and would help inthe determination of where and when such tampering might have occurred.

The present system may also be supplemented by attaching warning labelsand/or notices to the freight (or to a shipping container) warning anywould be criminals that the freight is protected by a photographicdocumentation system. Adding these type of labels and/or notices wouldhelp deter criminals from tampering and/or pilfering the freight.

The image used in the above-described documents can be identified in anumber of ways. In addition to having the image included on the handlingdocument, the shipment handling document can identify another documentthat contains the image and that document can be attached or separatefrom the shipment handling document. The shipment handling document canalso identify the image by specifying a location of data that representsthe image. Such data could include a particular storage device (e.g., adisk, CD or flash memory), a storage location on a data network (e.g., aURL on the Internet), or a particular entity that holds the data. Aparticular entity can also hold actual images rather than datarepresenting an image. For example, a third party can work with both theshipper and the carrier/handler to receive and provide images or imagedata.

While this invention has been described fully and completely withspecial emphasis upon preferred embodiments, it should be understoodthat there are other implementations within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A container product comprising: A container marked with a warningindicating that the container is protected by having been imaged.
 2. Thecontainer product of claim 1 wherein attached to the container isidentification of an image of the container taken when the container wasproximate to premises of a consignor of a shipment that includes thecontainer.
 3. The container product of claim 1 wherein the warningindicates that the container was imaged when the container was proximateto premises of a consignor of a shipment that includes the container. 4.The container product of claim 1 wherein the container comprises a firstside including a first symbol but not a second symbol and a second sideincluding the second symbol but not the first symbol, wherein both thefirst symbol and the second symbol are different from each other;wherein the container further is a first container of a plurality ofcontainers having at least two containers with materially differentphysical characteristics and wherein a second container in theplurality, which has physical characteristics different from the firstcontainer, comprises a first side including the first symbol but not thesecond symbol and a second side including the second symbol but not thefirst symbol.
 5. The container product of claim 1 wherein the containercomprises a first side including a first symbol but not a second symboland a second side including the second symbol but not the first symbol,wherein both the first symbol and the second symbol are different fromeach other; wherein the container further is a first container of aplurality of containers wherein at least two containers are materiallydifferent in size from each other and wherein a second container in theplurality which is materially different in size from the first containercomprises a first side including the first symbol but not the secondsymbol and a second side including the second symbol but not the firstsymbol.
 6. The container product of claim 1 wherein the containercomprises a first side including a first symbol; a second side includinga second symbol; a third side including a third symbol; a fourth sideincluding a fourth symbol and wherein the first, second, third, andfourth symbols are alphanumeric and sequential.
 7. The container productof claim 6 wherein at least one of the symbols is applied to a surfacearea of at least one container without a label.
 8. The container productof claim 1 wherein the container contains goods; the container is markedto show identification of a consignee; the container comprises a firstside including a first symbol, a second side including a second symbol,a third side including a third symbol, and a fourth side including afourth symbol, and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth symbolsare alphanumeric and sequential.
 9. The container product of claim 1wherein the container is part of a plurality of containers wherein atleast two containers have different physical characteristics and whereineach one of the two containers comprises a first side includingsubstantially a same first symbol; a second side including substantiallya same second symbol; a third side comprising substantially a same thirdsymbol; and a fourth side comprising substantially a same fourth symbol.10. The container product of claim 9 wherein at least one of the symbolsis applied to a surface area of at least one container without a label.11. The container product of claim 9 wherein the containers are locatedat least one of: (a) on a truck onto which the containers were loaded ata location proximate to premises of a consignor of a shipment whichincludes the containers, (b) at a location proximate to premises of aconsignor of a shipment including the containers, (c) at a locationproximate to premises of a consignee of a shipment which includes thecontainers and where also present at that location is a delivery receiptwhich identifies the shipment and wherein the delivery receipt alsoidentifies an image of at least one of the containers taken when thatcontainer was proximate to premises of a consignor of the shipment, (d)a location where also present is a plurality of images of the containertaken when the containers were proximate to premises of a consignor of ashipment that includes the containers and wherein visible in at leastone image is the warning indicating that the container is protected byhaving been imaged, and (e) premises of a carrier which arranged for adriver to drive the at least one of the containers from premises of aconsignor of a shipment which includes at least one of the containers tothe premises of the carrier.
 12. The container product of claim 1wherein the container is located at least one of: (a) on a truck ontowhich the container was loaded at a location proximate to premises of aconsignor of a shipment which includes the container, (b) at a locationproximate to premises of a consignor of a shipment including thecontainer, (c) at a location proximate to premises of a consignee of a sshipment where also present at that location is a delivery receipt whichidentifies the shipment which includes the container and wherein thedelivery receipt also identifies an image of the container taken whenthe container was proximate to premises of a consignor of the shipment,(d) a location where also present is a plurality of images of thecontainer taken when the container was proximate to premises of aconsignor of a shipment that comprises the container wherein visible inat least one image is the warning indicating that the container isprotected by having been imaged, and (e) premises of a carrier whicharranged for a driver to drive the container from premises of aconsignor of a shipment which includes the container to the premises ofthe carrier.
 13. A method of transporting a container comprising thesteps of obtaining the container at a first location and arranging todrive the container to a second location wherein attached to thecontainer is a warning indicating that the container is protected byhaving been imaged.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein attached to thecontainer is identification of an image of the container taken that thecontainer was proximate to premises of a consignor of a shipment whichincludes the container.
 15. The method of claim 13 wherein the firstlocation is proximate to premises of either a consignor of a shipmentthat includes the container or a carrier which arranged for a driver todrive the container from premises of a consignor of a shipment thatincludes the container to the premises of the carrier.
 16. The method ofclaim 13 wherein the second location is proximate to premises of aconsignee of a shipment which includes the container.
 17. The method ofclaim 13 wherein the container comprises a first side including a firstsymbol; a second side including a second symbol; a third side includinga third symbol; a fourth side including a fourth symbol, and wherein thefirst, second, third, and fourth symbols are alphanumeric andsequential.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising transporting asecond container which comprises a first side including a first symbol;a second side including a second symbol; a third side including a thirdsymbol; a fourth side including a fourth symbol, wherein the first,second, third, and fourth symbols of the second container aresubstantially the same as the first, second, third, and fourth symbols,respectively, of the first container and wherein the first and secondcontainers have materially different physical characteristics.
 19. Themethod of claim 17 wherein at least one of the symbols is attached tothe container without a label.
 20. The method of claim 18 wherein thefirst and second containers are marked with identification of the sameconsignee and different consignors.
 21. The method of claim 18 whereinthe first and second containers are marked with identification of thesame consignor and different consignees.
 22. The method of claim 13including the additional step of comparing images of sides marked withfirst and second symbols to the container's sides marked by those samesymbols to ascertain if tampering with contents of the container hasoccurred between the time the container was sealed at a locationproximate to premises of a consignor of a shipment comprising thecontainer and a time of the comparing
 23. The method of claim 13including the additional step of at a location proximate to premises ofa consignee of a shipment comprising a person comparing the images ofthe sides marked with first and second symbols to the container's sidesmarked by those same symbols to ascertain if tampering with contents ofthe container has occurred between the time the container left alocation proximate to premises of a consignor of a shipment comprisingthe container and a time of final delivery to the consignee.